Sadaharu Muramatsu
Areas of Interest
Alumni, International, MusicHonorary Award
Honorary Doctor of Music, 2011Biography
Anglia Ruskin alumnus Sadaharu Muramatsu is a supremely-talented young conductor who is making a name for himself around the world.
Born in Japan in 1979, Sadaharu studied music from an early age after discovering that he had a great musical talent. He learned to play the trumpet and horn joining first a brass band and then a wind orchestra. What started as a natural interest would indeed become his life's work.
After graduation from high school in 1997, Sadaharu travelled to the UK with the primary aim of studying to be a conductor in order to understand all aspects of music and music leadership. He graduated from our Cambridge campus in 2003 with a BA (Hons) in Music and then from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester, where he gained the Master of Music (MMus).
After completing his music education in the UK Sadaharu returned to Japan, but now travels the world extensively to demonstrate his rich talent around the globe. Based in Sydney, Australia, in recent years he has performed in Japan, Australia, USA and Europe. Music, as he demonstrates admirably, transcends all international borders.
His outstanding accomplishments include Second prize in the Vienna Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival with the Wesley Institute Choir in the Golden Hall, Musikverein, Austria (2011); Finalist and awarded Special Prize of the Jury at the Emmerich Kalman International Conductor's Competition at the Budapest Operetta Theatre, Hungary (2007); Semi-finalist in the 2nd Bartok Bela International Opera-Conducting Competition in Romania (2007); Mortimer Furber Prize for Conducting at the RNCM, a prize awarded to the most promising student of the year, in Manchester, UK (2005); and First prize at the ISIS Conducting Competition in Cambridge, UK (2001).
During his remarkable music career he has studied under a plethora of conducting talent including Imre Pallo, Kurt Masur, Sir Mark Elder CBE, Christian Mandel, Gianandrea Noseda, Hirofumi Misawa and Kazuki Sawa.
As a result of Sadaharu's success, the Japanese Government granted him a fellowship under their Overseas Programme for Artists, which enabled his recent study at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, Australia. Most recently Sadaharu has been appointed the Music Director of Strathfield Symphony Orchestra, Choirmaster of Willoughby Symphony Choir, Lecturer/Instructor of Conducting at Excelsia College (formerly Wesley Institute), and Conductor of Sydney Japanese Choir "Sakura".
Sadaharu is an alumnus who has achieved international success following his music studies in the UK. While studying with us at Cambridge he gave his time generously to participate in many performances in support of our Music Therapy Appeal.
Citation
"Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to read the citation for Sadaharu Muramatsu for the award of Doctor of Music.
Anglia Ruskin alumnus Sadaharu Muramatsu is a supremely-talented young conductor who is making a name for himself around the world.
Born in Japan in 1979, Sadaharu studied music from an early age after discovering that he had a great musical talent. He learned to play the trumpet and horn joining first a brass band and then a wind orchestra. What started as a natural interest would indeed become his life's work.
After graduation from high school in 1997, Sadaharu travelled to the UK with the primary aim of studying to be a conductor in order to understand all aspects of music and music leadership. He graduated from our Cambridge campus in 2003 with a BA (Hons) in Music and then from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester, where he gained the Master of Music (MMus). While at Manchester he studied a wide range of music, conducting and composing works from opera to contemporary. On one occasion he conducted a marathon of 35 new works in one evening concert, the scores for which had only been given to him days before.
After completing his music education in the UK Sadaharu returned to Japan, but now travels the world extensively to demonstrate his rich talent around the globe. Based in Sydney, Australia, in recent years he has performed in Japan, Australia and Europe. Music, as he demonstrates admirably, transcends all international borders.
In 2001, Sadaharu won first prize at the ISIS Conducting Competition in Cambridge, UK. Then in 2004 his conducting at the Magnus Lindberg Festival in Manchester was exceptionally highly acclaimed by the composer Magnus Lindberg. His concert with James Gourlay at the Bridgewater Hall was a huge success in the same year. In 2005, he was awarded the Mortimer Furber Prize for Conducting at the RNCM, a prize awarded to the most promising student of the year, and then in 2007 he was a semi-finalist of the Bartok Bela International Opera-conducting Competition in Romania. He was also one of the finalists of the Emmerich Kalman International Conductor's Competition in Hungary in the same year and awarded the special prize of the jury. The competition was broadcast on Hungarian Television.
During his relatively short but remarkable music career he has studied under a plethora of conducting talent including Imre Pallo, Kurt Masur, Sir Mark Elder CBE, Christian Mandel, Gianandrea Noseda, Hiroshi Misawa and Kazuki Sawa. As a result of his success, the Japanese Government granted him a fellowship under their Overseas Programme for Artists, which enabled his recent study in Sydney, Australia. Most recently Sadaharu has been appointed conductor and lecturer at the Wesley Institute, Australia's premier Christian college of the Arts and Ministry, and also AICM (The Australian International Conservatorium of Music). He was the Choir Director of the Eastern Sydney Chamber Choir from 2010 to 2011.
Sadaharu is an alumnus who has achieved international success following his music studies in the UK. While studying with us at Cambridge he gave his time generously to participate in many performances in support of our Music Therapy Appeal.
We would like to pay tribute to both his work on the podium and his new ambassadorial role in music education with our own special accolade.
Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to present Sadaharu Muramatsu for the award of Doctor of Music, honoris causa."